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Ultra-Sensitive Camera To Measure Exoplanet Sizes

Posted by timothy on from the ignoring-global-poverty dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "US astronomers and engineers have built a new camera to precisely measure the size of planets moving around distant stars. This camera has been dubbed OPTIC — short for 'Orthogonal Parallel Transfer Imaging Camera.' According to the research team, it is 'so sensitive that it could detect the passage of a moth in front of a lit window from a distance of 1,000 miles.' I'm not sure if this analogy is right, but the team said it was able to precisely define the size of a planet called WASP-10b which is orbiting around the star WASP-10, about 300 light-years from Earth."

4 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Objects may be closer than they appear by osu-neko · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can it precisely define the size of Uranus?

    <sigh> Poor Uranus. People who can't pronounce your name correctly are constantly making butt jokes about you, whereas those who can pronounce your name correctly are constantly making pee jokes about you...

    --
    "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
  2. Re:Objects may be closer than they appear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Can it precisely define the size of Uranus?

    Yes. The diameter of Uranus is 1.65662 +/- 0.00025 nanogoatsecs -- parsecs! I meant nanoparsecs. Sorry.

  3. Re:Split infinitives are perfectly legal by lgw · · Score: 2, Funny

    But we can be passive-aggressive like hell.

    Avoid the passive voice.

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  4. WASP? by rasputin465 · · Score: 3, Funny

    the team said it was able to precisely define the size of a planet called WASP-10b which is orbiting around the star WASP-10, about 300 light-years from Earth.

    Next up for the team? Precisely measure planets around stars SPIC-20, CHINK-15, and GRINGO-117.